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01 March 2012

Camper: Footwear or Fire?

We went camping last weekend. Haha. No. We didn't go camping. I used to pretend to like to camp.

Growing up, we went on a family camping trip when everyone was a bit older. It was a days hike to the camp site and my siblings, who are much more fond of camping, planned the trip. Halfway to the campsite, my dad offered with great enthusiasm and much persuasion, to take us all to a hotel, snuggle down with some take-out to watch a movie in our room.

Boy, that sounded appealing to me, but I tried to convince myself that I enjoyed camping. There was a chorus of Daaaaaaad! from the camp loving kids, and he shrugged, as if to say he did his best. Maybe that's why we get along so well.

We grabbed the girls, the boy and joined the church camp out the morning after they spent the night in sleeping bags, in time for pancakes and lessons in compass usage and fire building skills.

I'm not sure how wise it was to teach the fire part to a bunch of 5 year-olds, but they were attentive and attempted to assist.

I adore these girls who sweep my girls off their feet

I wanted to shower before we left to go down, but Ryan convinced me that we should get going. I can't believe you were going to shower before we go to a campsite. I looked at him with raised brows, really?

Clover's camping clothes--she wasn't into the compass instruction

We both had a good laugh about it and he commented that he doesn't like to camp. I know, I said, why do you think we've never gone in our 11 years of marriage, hon? Right. We are so perfect for each other. It was just enough dirt mixed with smoke scented tresses.

The girls, however, thought it was sublime and now pine to go real camping.

Perhaps we can use it as an incentive for something?

Sure. When everyone sleeps through the night, is out of diapers, brushes their teeth without a fight, doesn't scream at the tiniest of bugs, will set up a tent without help, cook and clean up afterwards, and then hoses off and organizes all the equipment when we get home.

Yeah, it might be a while.

We got home and I baked Pearl's birthday cake. Can't do that camping.

Are you a camper? If we're talking shoes, I'm all for it, otherwise, I really like my showers.

ps how genius is it to dust cake pans for chocolate batter with cocoa instead of flour?!

33 comments:

No camping for me thank you...I LOVE the outdoors and lovely hikes and picnics......but sleeping in the woods in a tent ..rain...thunder....no toydee.....no hot shower.....no thank you!!!!!!Now...sleeping on the screen porch...or backyard tents.. Backyard campfire...that is all together different....I'm all there for that.....

LOL! That depends on how you camp! My parents bought a camp trailer after their 4th child was born and my mom swore off tents. :) In that trailer my mom baked a cake for my brothers birhtday (fell over Memorial Day weekend) and I grew up, borrowed said trailer for my family to live in and baked my son his 2nd birthday cake in the same oven! (My husband runs scout camps in the summer as part of his job- son was born during the summer, you do what you gotta do...) HAHA!

You know, I completely love camping. I think it's awesome. But, in the interest of full disclosure, I live in Canada, and am currently under like 3 feet of snow. Canadians in these parts are Very Serious about good weather. End of May rolls around and people go OUTSIDE - camping, cottaging, canoeing - whatever it takes man, because come October we are under snow again for another looooong time. I blame winter for my camping love. And interestingly, my now five year old (then 7 month old) daughter slept through the night for the first time in a tent.

(However - that said - I truly hate hosing off gear/sweeping out tents/airing sleeping bags. I think it's completely mean that after you pack up the car and drive home you have to take it all OUT again. And then put it away, again.)

I used to love camping. Then we started having our little ones and I completely agree with you. Not. Fun. At. All. My husband can't figure out why I don't enjoy it any more. And every year I have to suck it up and be drug to his family's reunions, for days in the wilderness. I'm glad to know I'm not the only mommy who doesn't think it is worth it.

We raised our 4 kids camping and they loved and I did too! Now I have to say we weren't totally camping, not like primitive but we were together without distraction, tv,internet and games systems and we worked together to put up the tent and later pop up camper and gather wood. We showered every day, me sometimes twice a day. But the very best part is that my husband loves to be the cook and cleaner when we camp, why I can't convince him at home, not sure and so really I got to have down time and just BE with the kids time, might explain why I loved it! You should give it a try, you might be surprised. As for cake my husband makes a fantastic pineapple upside down cake and cobble at camp.I think if I remember right you live on a beach, and that pretty much trumps all!

yeah, when I hear "camper" i definitely think shoes first (cute shoes too!) But we did accidentally go camping a few years back. And by camping, I mean we unknowingly booked ourselves a hotel room without room service. THE HORRORS!!!!

I think I could get behind "half camping", where you go somewhere into nature, build a fire, roast marshmallows and hotdogs, take some cute pics, and then return to your room-service-enabled hotel or home. Half camping. Let's make it a thing.

I love Campers, got a pair in the closest as I type. But as you know, I camped for two years in Tonga, outhouse, Coleman lantern, centipede biting my neck, etc. Got it out of my system. I do like roasting marshmallows and then sleeping in a real bed afterwards.

I don't mind hiking or day camping (or half camping)- doing all the activities associated with camping but sleeping in my own bed and not covered in smoke/bug spray/sweat/dirt. My husband loves it and we've gone twice. Ansley did okay but that was pre potty training. I'm pretty sure I can't convince her to use an outhouse. hahahaha. I guess it's kind of a good thing my husband got called to work with the Scouts and gets to camp once a month in the snow. If I'm not pregnant or nursing the next time we do actually go camping I'm taking nyquil. :)

I hate camping with the fire of a thousand burning suns. A few years ago I caved in to my husband and we all packed up and went camping at the beach between Christmas and New Year. Needless to say Australia's ten year drought broke that week. At least my children now hate camping too.

i love the outdoors...camping, hiking and all that comes with it. although we havent spent the night outside (other then our backyard) since we've had our 3 little ones. we've been sticking to day hikes for now.

I love camping! In fact, last year for Mother's Day we went camping per my request AND I asked for and received a much bigger, nicer tent for Christmas this year. We even take our dogs (Great Dane and Boston Terrier) with us. My only rule is that if we stay more than two nights we have to have access to a shower. My new request is for a Dutch oven. I took a one hour filler course about Dutch oven cooking in college and would love to use one in the great outdoors. We made three full four course meals in them in that class (including cake and cobbler).

You just need the right tools for camping. Just like there are the right tools for sewing, cleaning and fixing that make it fun...same for camping. We are looking forward to go with our kiddos in a few weeks. I'm not worried with David going...he's got the right tools so we are not miserable:). Thanks for the photos, they made me remember why I miss the ward still.

We are definitely campers. In fact, our first camping trip as a family was when my first son was 3 weeks old. It was the easiest, most relaxing weekend and I'm being completely serious. Can't wait for this summer's camping trips with 2 boys!

I have always felt that camping was cooking, doing dishes and trying to keep kids asleep in a very inconvenient place. RV's are doing the same thing as you do at home except in a much smaller place, but better than tents.

Our family loves camping and we go at least 3 times/ year! The only downside for me is the sleeping part. My back doesn't appreciate that part of camping :) By the way, you can totally bake a cake camping (and I don't mean in someone's fancy RV). You just need the right equipment!

I agree...camping with small children is NOT my favorite thing to do. When they get older though, it's pretty fun. It helps that my husband takes care of pretty much everything... tent set up, clean up, dinner, etc. Everything. The fire, the packing and unpacking. He loves it and takes us to remote camping locations that are really beautiful. If it weren't for him I doubt I would care for it either. I am more of a hiker. I like to enjoy nature, sweat it out as I climb a mountain, take in the breath taking scenery at the top, and then go home and shower! :)

Hoo-boy this brought back memories! The worst experience camping was when my parents had to come get me on a Girl Scout weekender because I had pneumonia and couldn't make it up the hill on the hikes!!! You should have heard me wailing about not wanting to go home... yeah, I loved camping THAT much! These days I have to use a cot though, my bones resent a sleeping bag on the hard ground. '-)~ Lynda

I kinda feel the same way about camping. Although, our ward has camped at the beach in the past and that's a bit more tolerable.{Except for the constant sound of the ocean waves that seem to make the kids have to use the restroom all through the night.}Anyway, I think the pic of the YW with your kids are my husbands cousins girls. Too funny. Small world. Aloha.

You could always do a state park cabin camp instead of just tenting- the girls could put their tents next to the cabin. I'm really close to a couple of great camping/cabin state parks in Florida- Goldhead (which has clean, renovated cabins with kitchens & bathrooms) and Chowenwaw (where you can even camp in a screened-in treehouse). I used to be all about the backwoods, roughing it style of camping, but since having kids I appreciate the availability of showers, kitchens and handwashing facilities. Nowadays we can do the fun hiking & canoeing things, but without the snakes/bears/outdoor restroom things. For now :)

I love camping. But under certain circumstances... Has to be good weather - no rain! We camped in a tent for 3 weeks last summer with our 11 and 12 year olds and we haven't slept that good in a long time. We cook great food, spoil ourselves with family time and play cards and read. Can't wait for the season to start!

Love to camp. Always have. Yes, hosing off all the gear is a pain but we all work together and get it done. I have it set up so it doesn't take much time to pack - hardest part is buying the fun camping food.Of course, the fact that we are ALL closet pyromaniacs helps cement the Mother Nature bonds.